Growing in Grace

Children's Rosary at Our Lady of Sorrows
Sharon, Massachusetts USA

It is such a beautiful blessing that we have so many children coming together in prayer.  Countless Saints have spoken of the merits of regular prayer of the Rosary.  Through their beautiful example we too pray that our children will grow in grace and sanctity and one day be counted among those in Heaven. 

Saturday November 1st (First Satruday) 
Children's Rosary at St. Mary's Church in Corvallis, Oregon to meet at 9AM Pacific time
Children's Rosary at St. Agnes Church in Naples, Florida to meet at 9:30 AM ET
Children's Rosary at Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Sharon, MA 9:30 AM ET
Children's Rosary to meet at Our Lady of LaSalette Parish in Sulphur, Louisiana to meet at 9:30 AM CT 
Children's Rosary of St. Michael the Archangel Parish and held in Kibera Slum in Langatta Nairobi, Kenya to meet at 10AM local time. 
Children's Rosary at St. Peter the Apostle Church in Rushden, Northants England 3PM GMT or 10 AM ET 
Children's Rosary at Holy Family Parish in Syracuse, NY to meet at 10 AM ET at the Daughters of St Mary Chapel

Children's Rosary at Sacred Heart Church in East Berlin, CT to meet at 10AM ET

Children's Rosary at St. Bridget Church in Cheshire, CT 12:30 PM ET
Children's Rosary at St. Augustine Church in Iba Estate Lago, Nigeria 1PM ET

Children's Rosary at Sacred Heart Parish in Middleboro, MA to meet at 2PM ET

Children's Rosary at St. Thomas Becket Church in Cheshire, CT 3PM ET
Children's Rosary at St. Joseph Church, Shrine on the Westbank in Gretna, Louisiana 3:30 PM ET

Children's Rosary at the Immaculate Conception Basilica to meet at 3:30 PM ET
Children's rosary at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish Shrub Oak 4:45 PM ET

Children's Rosary at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Hartford, CT to meet at 5PM ET

Children's Rosary at St. Luke's Church in Ogallala, Nebraska 4:30 PM Central Time. 

Children's Rosary at St. Edward the Confessor Church in Richmond, Virginia to meet at 4PM

Sunday November 2nd
Children's Rosary at Our Lady and St. Patrick's Church in Nottingham, England 9AM local time  (4AM ET)
Children's Rosary at St. Luke's Church in Ogallala, Nebraska at 8:30 AM ET
Children's Rosary at St. Thomas Church in Thomaston, CT 11AM ET
Children's Rosary at Holy Trinity Church in Harlan Kentucky 11:30 AM 
Children's Rosary at St. Augustine Church in Iba Estate Lago Nigeria 1PM ET
Children's Rosary at St. Bernard Church in Mount Lebanon, Pennsylvania at 2PM ET
Children's Rosary at St. Anthony Church in Lorain, Ohio 3PM ET in front of the Blessed Sacrament.
Children's Rosary at St. Joachim Parish in Madera, California 5:30 PM ET
Children's Rosary at Assumption Church in Umoja, Kenya 2PM local time 
Children's Rosary at Immaculate Conception Church North Delta, British Columbia 6PM ET
Monday November 3rd
Children's Rosary at Our Lady of Grace Home for Children in Meru, Kenya 10AM ET
Children's Rosary at Holy Trinity Academy in Shenandoah, PA 12:20 PM ET
Children's Rosary at St. Augustine Church in Iba Estate Lago Nigeria 1PM ET
Children's Rosary at Holy Family Church in Gladstone Michigan 4:30PM  ET
Children's Rosary at St. John the Evangelist Church in Mahopac, New York 4:30 PM held in front of the Blessed Sacrament.

Tuesday November 4th

Children's Rosary at St. Augustine Church in Iba Estate, Lagos Nigeria 1PM ET
Children's Rosary at Holy Redeemer Parish in Menominee, Michigan 6PM ET

Pope Francis' Prayer Intentions for November

(PHOTO: REUTERS)

General: That all who suffer loneliness experience the closeness of God and the support of others.

Missionary: That young seminarians and religious may have wise and well-formed mentors.

Put on the Whole Armor of God

Children placing roses at the foot of Our Lady
 during a Children's Rosary at St. Paul's School

"Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil" (Ephesians 6:11)

This was part of the first reading at Mass today and invokes the wonderful imagery of a battle.  Indeed we know that good and evil exists and to protect ourselves and our children it is good to cover ourselves in prayer. Little sacrifices each day given to Our Lord coupled with prayer of the heart help to protect us from the deceiver.  In a special way the prayers of the children are extremely potent as they come from a humble heart.  We are very blessed that on Halloween October 31st, a day when many celebrate evil or evil imagery, we have Children's Rosary groups meeting sprinkled across the globe.  Little prayers joined together from simple little souls wanting only to please Our Lord and show Him love.  Such tender prayers surely send a decisive blow to forces moving to create confusion and division especially in families.  Instead these prayers of the children bound together in little prayer groups around the world are the safety nets being thrown out to help the many who unknowingly have been drawn away.

Please consider joining the children in prayer they always pray for those unifying prayers with them.

Friday October 31st
Children's Rosary at St. Mary's School in Orange Texas 7:05 AM CT
Children's Rosary St. Paul School in Odell IL 8:35 CT
Children's Rosary at St. Mary's Church in Pontiac, IL 9:00AM CT
Children's Rosary at St. Augustine Church in Iba Estate Lagos, Nigeria 1PM ET

Holy Eve

Many people have forgotten the religious significance of Halloween which means holy eve.  It is from the Old English all hallow E'en. The Feast day which it precedes is all Saints Day celebrated on November 1st.  This is directly followed by All Souls Day on November 2nd.  For the past few years the children have dressed up as Saints or important religious figures in the Bible.  This has been lots of fun.

One beautiful surprise came two years ago when my daughter was invited to go to a pumpkin patch and pick out a pumpkin for carving.  When she came home she was so excited to show us what she had carved.  It was a large cross.  She told me she tried to carve Our Blessed Mother but it was too difficult.  She then had a wonderful idea: a Cross.  She mentioned that there was some discussion at her friend's house about her choice.  It made me smile to hear how Alina had suggested a holy theme for the carving.  She shared with them that it was important to pick a religious theme as the meaning of the holiday is really about the Feast the next day.  To hear these words coming out of my daughter made me so grateful to Our Lady.  I take no credit for my daughters inward desire to show her love of her faith.  This is a gift from Our Lord and a fruit  of prayer of the Holy Rosary.  More and more I see that Our Lady guides our children and protects them when we call upon her through the Rosary.  She keeps them simple and pure.  She keeps them children when the world is calling them to grow up too fast.

Advent Journey with Mary and with Your Family

Holy Cross Family Ministries and the Children's Rosary are joining together for a special family event. 

Date: Saturday December 6th
Time: 2-4PM
Place: Father Peyton Center -518 Washington Street North Easton, Massachusetts

Afternoon Activites

• Family Advent Wreath Prayer
• Movie on the life of Servant of God Patrick Peyton
• Why do we ask Saints to help us in life?
• Reflection on what Mary teachers us about the birth of her Son, Jesus.
• Children's Rosary
• Refreshments

Fr. Patrick Peyton made famous the phrase: the family that prays together stays together.  May this beautiful afternoon be a wonderful way to focus the attention on Our Lord and His coming.   All are welcome!

The Children's Rosary group leader from Middleboro, Massachusetts is the contact for this event.  For more information contact Mary at amamaral@verizon.net

Prayers of Children in Nigeria Going Up Each Day

Reports two days ago that 30 school children were abducted in Nigeria.  Such heart breaking news, especially for the families and parents of these children. Yet in the city of Lagos, Nigeria children can be found each night coming together in prayer.  A Children's Rosary composed of approximately 50 neighborhood children from the parish of St. Augustine come together in prayer of the Rosary each night at 6PM local time.  This is 1PM ET.  While many of our Children's Rosary groups meet either monthly or weekly, this currently is our only group meeting daily.  It is a beautiful thought to imagine these little children gathering each evening in prayer.  Such prayers are so needed and with the continued violence against children their prayers are a wonderful witness of love.

Please consider joining the children in prayer.  They always pray for those unifying prayers with them.

Interview Tomorrow on Catholic TV

Fr. Reed Co-Host of This is the Day

Catholic TV will feature the Children's Rosary on their program: This is the Day.  It will air LIve tomorrow October 28th 2014 at 10:30 AM ET.  The link to watch it is HERE. We are so grateful to Fr. Reed and Jay Fadden hosts of This is the Day, as well as the whole staff at Catholic TV, for their help spreading the Children's Rosary.

Mass Offered for the Children's Rosary

Children's Rosary at Sacred Heart Church in Middleboro MA

The Children's Rosary group leader from Sacred Heart Church in Middleboro, Massachusetts wrote today to share that she had a Mass said on October 19th for the Children's Rosary.  The Mass was celebrated at St. Rose of Lima Church in Rochester.  It is so beautiful to see how many wonderful special blessings are coming out of the many different Children's Rosary groups.  A very special thank you to this group for requesting a Mass for our whole Children's Rosary prayer group movement and a special thank you for all who help to give our children an invitation to join together in prayer.  We certainly need the prayers of these little ones and as Fr. Apostoli once said, if we do not plant seeds now there will be no harvest later.

Thank you all and God Bless.

Children's Rosary Tag Sale

Over the past few months many wonderful doors have opened for the Children's Rosary with groups forming all around the world.  We are also in the midst of creating some wonderful resources for the groups with new Children's Rosary CDs with original music. We are also working hard on a series of Children's Rosary videos so new groups can see how a Children's Rosary prayer group is run and individuals can pray along with them.  The videos will be in English and also Spanish. The financial strain on the group has been incredible but we have trusted with each step that Our Lord would help to provide and show us a way.  One of the beautiful lessons that suffering and a physical disability have shown me is that one should always focus on what you can do and not what you can't.  This week as we were trying to find the funds to meet the financial demands of the Children's Rosary an idea came: a Children's Rosary Tag Sale!  It is wonderful how Our Blessed Mother can help us see that we have much more to give then we thought.

Our first customer was a dad and his little son

A tag sale is simply a time when a person can bring household items out in their yard and offer them for sale.  I had never had a tag sale in the past as I was convinced we did not have anything anyone would want.  Routinely I have heard of individuals who drive around on a Saturday morning looking for tag sales to find a treasure.  I have always felt funny that people would come by our house looking for treasure and well... be disappointed.  However,  this week my desire to gather even a small amount of funds to help the Children's Rosary overcame my hesitation.  I began to get excited as did the kids.  We began by going through clothes, books and toys.  Preparations got pretty intense by Friday night with our 10 year old son raking outside until well after dark to make a nice place to set out the items.  Alina our 14 year old daughter was in charge of wiping everything down.  Our younger son Asher who is 7 was in charge of helping with gathering and piling all children's books.  It was incredible to see how excited the children became.  Before sunrise everyone was up and working.  Asher and Kostin brought out our picnic table to set items out on.  

We were very blessed as the weather was with us.  After several rainy days today although it was pretty cold in the morning the sun came out and by noon it was very pleasant.  Our very first customer was a father and his little son about 2 years old.  Kostin was so excited showing him his old Elmo book.  It was so beautiful to see the children running the sale.  Asher was practicing his counting to create change for folks.  Even my husband who was a little nervous about holding a tag sale felt is was well worth it and a big success.  Our sale was small and often folks would pull over take a quick look at what we had and drive away.  A serious tag sale shopper showed up and looking at what we had said: "is this it?  This is the smallest tag sale I have ever seen."  This actually made me very happy to hear this as I could feel the Little Way of St. Therese in this whole project.  We had very humble aspirations and had no idea if anyone would want anything.  Indeed our sale was small and missing the exciting treasures.  Yet it was Our Lord's work as we were trying to further His Kingdom by helping the Children's Rosary.  We felt silly for sure many times but more and more we felt joy.  

Alina setting out clothes for the sale

I hope many of you might consider such a tag sale.  Many are finding times financially challenging right now so it is hard to give.  Yet through prayer Our Lord shows us how much we have despite such hard times.  If anyone is able to donate we would be so very appreciative.  There is a donate button on the side column of this website.  Donations can also be made out to Children's Rosary Inc and mailed to:
Children's Rosary 
PO Box 271743 
West Hartford CT 06127 USA

Thank you all and God Bless!

Finding a Way Out of Every Situation

Children's Rosary at St. Charles Borromeo School in
Destrehan Louisiana

Many times circumstances may weigh heavily on us.  There may be a feeling that there is no way out.  
Scripture so beautifully shows us that Our Heavenly Father is watching over every detail. "Do not be anxious about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neighter sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." (Matthew 6: 25-26,34)

Indeed Our Lord gently shows us that we are not meant to take the long view but rather focus on the day.  With trust in Our Heavenly Father we will be provided for and we must take comfort in the knowledge nothing is impossible with God.  Children are a beautiful example of complete trust and living in the moment. Over the next few days, we have many Children's Rosary groups meeting.  The children always pray for those unifying prayers with them.  Many people share that they have no one to pray for them.  I encourage those people to unify prayers with the children.  In this way they have little ones in a special way praying for them and ushering up their special intentions to Our Lord.  Each person is so dear to Our Blessed Mother and Our Lord and each trusting heart is such a joy to them.  May we continue to give our gifts of trust and prayer.
Friday October 24th 
Children's Rosary at St. Mary's Church in Orange Texas 7:05 AM CT
Children's Rosary at St. Mary's Church in Pontiac, IL 9:00AM CT
Children's Rosary at St. Charles Borromeo School in Destrehan Louisiana 9AM CT
Children's Rosary at St. Augustine Church in Iba Estate Lagos, Nigeria 1PM ET
Saturday October 25th
Children's Rosary of St. Michael the Archangel Parish and held in the Kibera slum in Langatta Nairobi Kenya 10AM local time.
Children's Rosary at St. Mary's Parish in Corvallis Oregon 12 PM ET
Children's Rosary at St. Augustine Church in Iba Estate Lagos Nigeria 1PM ET
Children's Rosary at the Daughters of Charity Convent in Bridgeport, CT 2:30 PM ET
Sunday October 26th
Children's Rosary at Our Lady and St. Patrick's Parish in Nottingham, England 9AM local time (4AM ET)
Children's Rosary at Assumption Church in Umoja, Kenya 7AM ET
Children's Cosary at St. Margaret Church in Waterbury Ct 10 AM ET
Children's Rosary at St. Mary's Church in Pontiac,  IL 10:00AM ET
Children's Rosary at St. James Church in Madison GA 10:30 AM
Children's Rosary at St. Thomas Church in Thomaston CT 11AM ET
Children's Rosary at St. John the Evangelist Church in Hopkinton MA 11:15 AM ET
Children's Rosary at St. Augustine Church in Iba Estate Lagos, Nigeria 1PM ET
Children's Rosary at the Daughters of Charity Convent in Bridgeport ,CT 2:30 PM ET
Children's Rosary at St. Anthony Church in Lorain, Ohio 3PM ET in front of the Blessed Sacrament.
Monday October 27th
Children's Rosary at Our Lady of Grace Home for Children in Meru, Kenya at 10 AM ET
Children's Rosary at Holy Trinity Academy in Shenandoah, PA 12:20 PM ET
Children's Rosary at St. Augustine Church in Iba Estate Lagos Nigeria 1PM ET
Children's Rosary at Holy Family Church in Gladstone Michigan 4:30PM  ET
Children's Rosary at St. John the Evangelist Church in Mahopac, New York 4:30 PM ET held in front of the Blessed Sacrament.
Children's Rosary at Rose of Mystica House in Edmeston, NY 4:30 PM ET

Spiritually Uplifting

This past Sunday, October 19th, a new Children's Rosary at St. Mary the Immaculate Conception Parish in Derby, Connecticut met for the first time at 11AM.  The group leader sent along a note and this picture.  Nine children attended and four adults were also present.  In looking at the picture I was able to readily count 8 children and then peeking between two little girl I could see the last child.  I am so grateful to all the Children's Rosary group leaders who continue to send pictures of their groups.  It is so spiritually uplifting to see children gathering together in prayer.  

Today we have several Children's Rosary groups meeting.  Please consider joining the children in prayer.  The children always pray for those unifying prayers with them.

Thursday October 23rd
Children's Rosary at St. Augustine Church in Iba Estate, Lagos Nigeria 1PM ET
The Children's Rosary at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Brentwood, California will meet at 6:30 PM ET in front of the Blessed Sacrament.
The Children's Rosary at St. Martin Church in Kingsville, Texas will meet at 6:30 PM

Other Posts You May Enjoy:
How to Start a Children's Rosary

A Saint for Young People: St. John Paul II

Picture of John Paul II distributed at His Canonization
in Rome and given to the Children's Rosary

The Church honors St. John Paul II tomorrow: October 22nd.  This being the first time we will celebrate his Feast as a Saint within the Church it is a particularly special day.  St. John Paul II spent a good deal of his life reaching out to young people.  He began World Youth Day during his Pontificate. His invitation to young people was a personal one for me as I grew up during the years he was Pope. For my own part I was one of the hundreds of thousands of young people who gathered in Denver to welcome the Pope to World Youth Day in 1992.  I remember clearly, as the Pope landed in Mile High Stadium by helicopter, the rain stopped and a rainbow stretched across the sky. 

His love of young people would span his whole lifetime.  The Pope's last audible words, on hearing tens of thousands of young people singing in St. Peter's Square as he lay in his deathbed, Friday, April 1, 2005: "I sought you out and now you come to me. Thank you."

There has been a feeling throughout the formation and growth of the Children's Rosary that Pope John Paul II has been close to this project and in a special way interceding for us.  The Children's Rosary book was written in large part on his Feast October 22nd 2012.  Both the book and then the subsequent CDs were dedicated to the Holy Trinity, Our Blessed Mother and in gratitude for the Intercession of Pope John Paul II.  Throughout these projects there have been wonderful little signal graces reassuring us that Pope John Paul indeed is close to us and helping us in our work to bring little children to the Rosary and Our Blessed Mother.  Two devotions that were particularly dear to him.
Tomorrow on the Feast of St. John Paul II there is beautiful news.  A new Children's Rosary group is meeting for the first time in a school in Queensland, Australia.  The name of the school is St. Kieran's School.  This was one of the first schools in Australia begun by the Italian order of Conossian nuns.  The school is located in Brighton.  The children will be meeting before school to hold their first Children's Rosary.  As with all new Children's Rosary groups the group will be Consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary.  In this way the group is under the protection of Christ and His Mother.  

Other Posts you may enjoy:
Favorite Quotes by John Paul II
How to Start a Children's Rosary

New Children's Rosary at St. Mary the Immaculate Conception Church

Wonderful news came last night.  An email from a mom and her eleven year old daughter that they would be beginning a Children's Rosary at St. Mary the Immaculate Conception Parish today.  Their first meeting at 11 AM ET time this morning.  They will begin by Consecrating their group to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary.  In this way the group is under the protection and guidance of Christ and His Mother. If you are able to join the children in prayer they will be praying in a special way for all those unifying prayers with them.

Thank you so much to all who help to spread the Children's Rosary.  These prayers both from the children and adults are so needed.  Whether you are actively telling people about the Children's Rosary or attending a Children's Rosary you are creating a ripple of love and peace.  Joining Our Lord in prayer is an act of love and the fruits of this will spill out.  When someone loves someone they make time for them so by making time for prayer we are showing Our Lord that we love Him above all the many earthly things that struggle to distract us.

I love to imagine that each time we bring a bouquet of prayers to Our Lady from one meeting of a Children's Rosary prayer group Our Blessed Mother is able to beautifully present it to her Son.  Through these gifts of prayers Our Lady is able to ask for new Children's Rosary prayer groups.  Each one hand picked by her.  The effect of more and more groups meeting is an exponential growth in groups forming.  Just as prayer seemed to exponentially disappear amongst our young people over the last 50 years we are pushing back and creating an exponential growth of prayer in the other direction.  The more time we spend in prayer the more hope wells.  Prayer is transformative both within our hearts and families and then beautifully on a larger scale.  Children represent our future and when we couple them and prayer we have much to be hopeful for looking forward.

"Even the Hairs on Your Head Are All Numbered" (Luke 12:7)

Children's Rosary at St. Marguerite Parish
Brookfield CT

Our Lord is often referred to as the Good Shepherd and indeed a shepherd counts his flock.  But Our Lord goes further than to count us one by one he is caring for us so tenderly and so completely that each hair on our head is numbered.  It is a reality hard to fathom since for my own part so many details seem to slip past me on a daily basis.  There is a realization that we were not intended to be able to keep track of things to that level of detail.  Indeed our calling is one of trust and dependence on a Father who cares for us so completely that through complete dependence and trust in Him we have nothing to fear.  Trusting in Our Lord does not mean we will be free of suffering for Our Lord often draws a soul deep within His heart through suffering, purifying it further. Although suffering in this life may even take the form of injustice which at times is a hard reality to accept we are promised that "nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known." (Luke 12:2) For Our Lord lead us on the way of humility and meekness.  

Once I ask one of the children why he thought the Children's Rosary was important and he said, because it shows God we trust in Him.  Indeed to come before Our Lord in prayer is to show Our Lord such time is important to us and that we believe He hears our prayers.  To turn to Our Lord in prayer is to accept humbly we cannot do this alone we need Our Father in Heaven to take care of us.  We are all weak and in need of a tender hand to guide and care for us.  Whether we are truly little children by age or have been a member of this world many years we are all children before Our Lord.  There is a feeling the more we affiliate ourselves with children in prayer the more we begin to see ourselves as not much different from a small child running to a parent for love and protection.  

Please consider joining the children in prayer.  The children always pray for those unifying prayers with them.

Friday October 17th
Children's Rosary at St. Mary's Church in Orange Texas 7:05 AM CT
Children's Rosary at St. Mary's Church in Pontiac, IL 9:00AM CT
Children's Rosary at St. Augustine Church in Iba Estate Lagos, Nigeria 1PM ET
Children's Rosary at St. Marguerite Parish in Brookfield CT 4PM ET
Saturday October 18th
Children's Rosary of St. Michael the Archangel Parish and held in the Kibera slum in Langatta Nairobi Kenya 10AM local time.
Children's Rosary at St. Mary's Parish in Corvallis Oregon 12 PM ET
Children's Rosary at St. Augustine Church in Iba Estate Lagos Nigeria 1PM ET
Children's Rosary at the Daughters of Charity Convent in Bridgeport, CT 2:30 PM ET 
Sunday October 19th
Children's Rosary at Our Lady and St. Patrick's Parish in Nottingham, England 9AM local time (4AM ET)
Children's Rosary at Assumption Church in Umoja, Kenya 7AM ET
Children's Rosary at St. Mary's Church in Derby CT 11AM ET (FIRST MEETING)
Children's Rosary at St. Thomas Church in Thomaston CT 11AM ET
Children's Rosary at St. Augustine Church in Iba Estate Lagos, Nigeria 1PM ET
Children's Rosary at the Daughters of Charity Convent in Bridgeport ,CT 2:30 PM ET
Children's Rosary at St. Anthony Church in Lorain, Ohio 3PM ET in front of the Blessed Sacrament.
Children's Rosary at Annuciation Church in Hanover PA 4PM ET in front of the Blessed Sacrament
Monday October 20th
Children's Rosary at Our Lady of Grace Home for Children in Meru, Kenya at 10 AM ET
Children's Rosary at Holy Trinity Academy in Shenandoah, PA 12:20 PM ET
Children's Rosary at St. Augustine Church in Iba Estate Lagos Nigeria 1PM ET
Children's Rosary at Holy Family Church in Gladstone Michigan 4:30PM  ET
Children's Rosary at St. John the Evangelist Church in Mahopac, New York 4:30 PM ET held in front of the Blessed Sacrament.
Children's Rosary at Rose of Mystica House in Edmeston, NY 4:30 PM ET
Children's Rosary at St. St. Patrick's Church in Kennett Square PA 5:45 PM ET (FIRST MEETING)
Tuesday October 21th
Children's Rosary at St. Augustine Church in Iba Estate, Lagos Nigeria 1PM ET
Children's Rosary at Holy Redeemer Parish in Menominee, Michigan 6PM ET